Dump can



Jan. 14, 1947 I v. SCHWARZKOPF 2,414,212

DUMP CAN Filed May 5, 1945 Patented Jan. 14, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DUMP CAN Vergil Schwarzkopf, La Grange, Ill., assignor to The Lathrop-Paulson Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of. Illinois Application May 5, 1945, Serial No. 592,233

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a dump can for milk and other liquids, and is particularly adapted for dairies, etc.

As now constructed, dump cans are formed in an integral or unitary piece, with perforations formed in the bottom wall. With such construction,'it is necessary, in order to clean the dump can, to remove it as an entirety, turning it over, etc., to clean it. Furthermore, the top Walls of the can are usually turned inwardly to prevent milk from splashing out of the can, and this further interferes with the efiort to clean the dump can. Because of the difiiculty of handling the large and cumbersome dump can and cleaning it, the tendency in varied practice is to leave the dump can in use even though foreign particles, such as flies and other unsanitary objects, remain on the strainer portion of the can.

An object of the present invention is to provide a structure wherein the dump can can remain in fixed position and only a portion thereof removed for getting rid of contaminating objects. A further object is to provide as the bottom wall of the can, a tray having raised border edges which will retain foreign particles therein, even when the tray is tilted to permit its removal. Yet another object is to provide a tray-bottom wall structure which has a self-centering relation with the bottom portions of the side walls of the can. A further object is to provide a handle-equipped tray permitting the same to be removed at a desired angle while retaining foreign particles therein without danger of tipping the tray too far. Yet another object is to provide handle means for the tray which are normally out of the way, but which permit a complete control of the tilting angle of the tray when it is being removed. Other speciflc objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dump can for milk and the like, a portion of the can beingshown in section; and Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1.

In the illustration given, A designates a dump can structure; and B, a perforated tray providing the bottom wall of the dump can.

The structure A, except for the absence of an integral bottom wall and the termination of the side walls to form inwardly-turned ledges, 'is a typical dump can as now used in the dairy industry and need not, therefore, be described in detail. The side walls It are all of the same shape and construction, except for the rear wall It which is considerably higher and provides an elevated shield or back-splasher. To prevent the splashing of liquid out of the can, the top portions of the side walls 10 and Il are curved inwardly at l2 as indicated.

In the construction shown, the lower portion of each side wall is curved at l3 to provide :an inwardly-extending ledge. The wall terminates after extending a short distance inwardly, thus providing an open vent in the bottom of the can.

The tray B is provided with upwardly-extending border portions M which fit snugly within the curved portions l3 of the side walls and, because of their rounded structure, tend to center the tray automatically when it is placed within the can. The tray is provided with perforations l5 within the area over the vent of the can so as to provide a strainer bottom wall for the can. The size of the perforations vary considerably in use and may be of any suitable size depending upon the straining results desired.

The tray is shown provided with a handle I6 which consists of a metal bar having a top handengaging portion ll, depending legeportions l8, and forwardly-extending gripper members Hi. It will be understood that any suitable handle or handles may be employed to remove the tray. The present structure is, however, unusually satisfactory in that it collapses to the position shown in Fig. 1 when not in use but, when lifted, provides a hand-engaging grip wellabove the wall of the tray. By means of the spaced legs and gripper members engaging the bottom wall of the tray, an easy and accurate control of the tilting of the tray is obtained. The handle may be constructed of such size as tom the normal perforations of the tray whereby accurate adjustment of balance of the tray upon the handle can be easily obtained, or, if desired, special perforations may be formed for the handle. In the illustration given, the handle may be removed entirely from the tray for cleaning, etc.

In the operation of the device, milk, etc., is dumped into the can and flows downwardly through the strainer tray B into a weigh can or any other suitable receptacle. Should a foreign particle appear in the strainer during the downward flow of the milk, the operator, while still employing one hand in holding a milk can, etc., can, with the other, readily raise the handle 16 and thereby the tray B, tilting it slightly so as to clear the side walls, and then dump the same outside the can, replacing the tray readily in its normal position. The curved, side wall ledges l3 cooperate with the curved walls I4 of the tray and provide a self-centering of the tray. Upon release of the handle 16, it drops to the collapsed position shown in Fig. 1. In this position, it will not interfere with stirring of the milk. Because of the collapsing of the handle to the position shown in Fig. 1, an anti-splash device may, if desired, be used in the can.

While I have shown a specific structure for certain specific advantages enumerated, it will be understood that variations in such structure may readily be made by those skilled in the art while still utilizing my invention and not departing from the spirit thereof.

I claim: I

1. A dum can comprising a receptacle having side walls terminating at their lower edge portions in inwardly-extending retaining ledges, a tray having upwardly-extending border portions engaging said side walls and removably supported by said ledges, said tray having perforations therein and providing a bottom strainer wall for said receptacle, and a handle having free end portions adapted to extend adjustably through said perforations and to engage the underside of said tray, said handle having also a hand-engaging loop portion extending above said tray.

2. A dump can comprising a receptacle having side walls terminating at their lower edge portions in inwardly-extending retaining ledges, a tray having upwardly-extending border portions engaging said side walls and removably supported by said ledges, said tray having perforations therein and providing a bottom strainer wall for said receptacle, and a collapsible handle extending through openings in said tray, having an upper portion normally engaging the top wall of the tray when the handle is not being lifted and having a lower tray-engaging portion normally spaced from the bottom wall of the tray but adapted to be brought into engagement with said, bottom wall to efiect lifting of the tray when said upper handle portion is lifted.

3. A dump can comprising a receptacle having side walls terminating at their lower edge portions in inwardly-extending retaining ledges, a tray having upwardly-extending border portions engaging said retaining ledges and removably supported thereby, said tray being perforated and providing a bottom strainer wall for said receptacle, and a handle extendable through perforations in said tray and engageable with the underside of said tray to provide an adjustable support for said tray, said handle having a hand-engaging portion extending above said tray.

VERGIL SCHWARZKOPF. 

